Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...

This month soft-serve monarch Dairy Queen turns 75. At its 10th anniversary, the company boasted more than 1,000 open and planned stores. Today, Dairy Queen counts more than 6,000 locations across 20 countries.
At a time when many established brands are struggling with an identity crisis, Dairy...

Kevin Kester’s family has been farming in the U.S. for generations. And it’s not just a couple of generations they’ve been farming; more like generations upon generations, way back to the 1600s, specifically in California since the 1860s. Today, Kester owns a 22,000-acre beef cattle ranch in...

At JJ’s Red Hots in Charlotte, North Carolina, the hot dog is big business. The two-year-old eatery in the historic Dilworth neighborhood serves up hundreds of charbroiled Sahlen’s smokehouse dogs on toasted potato rolls daily.
While customers can build their own creations, JJ’s menu features a...

As sensory experiences go—the ones we can write about in a respectable, professional publication, at least—it’s hard to top the consumption of sweets when it comes to absolute primal pleasure.
“The moment sugar touches your mouth, a complex cascade of events is triggered involving taste, learning,...

The chief executive officer is often the face of a brand. And when the time comes for a new leader to assume the role, experts say, an efficient succession plan can help establish a smooth transition and reassure employees that all is well with the brand.
In its first-ever succession, Elevation...

What are some of the trends you’re seeing in the dessert space today?
The smaller, bite-sized portions, or the flights or the samplers, are a trend in order for people to have portion control, to have variety, to try different things on the menu. I think some of the flavors that are still more...

Convenience stores are increasingly taking a larger slice out of the quick-serve pie with fresh food offerings. It’s become such a lucrative business for C-stores that Sheetz, the Pennsylvania-based C-store chain that this week opened its 500th location, is planning stores designed more as fast...

The new Krispy Kreme Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Java Chip Doughnuts are moist, creamy, and loaded with chocolate chips. Available now through March 22 at participating Krispy Kreme shops throughout the U.S. and Canada while supplies last.

Juice It Up!, a premier raw juice bar and hand-crafted smoothie franchise, has reported that 2014 is the year to beat as they tackle 2015, the company’s 20th anniversary year. The company reported a fourth quarter same store sales increase of 16 percent compared to Q4 the year prior. ...

With Valentine's Day approaching, Dunkin’ Donuts celebrating the season with a set of social media promotions, including a salute to winter Iced Coffee drinkers and an opportunity for fans to send sweet tweets to their sweetheart. Both programs offer the chance to win a round-trip travel...

Burger 21, announced today it has provided more than $127,000 in contributions through its “B Charitable” initiative since its inception. The brand donates 10 percent of its restaurants’ sales to schools and local charities on the 21st of each month to support the communities in which...

The Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation has awarded $4,000 to three local charities—Hope Center of Waukesha, the Severson Sisters – Super Girl Program of Menomonee Falls, and the Friends of Saint Catherine Residence of Milwaukee.

HuHot Mongolian Grill, a full-service restaurant chain based in Montana, is making its foray into the fast-casual industry with NuHu Mongolian Express. The company believes that the new restaurant, which will open in downtown Denver on February 12, is perfectly suited to satisfy Millennials’...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

Convenience stores are increasingly taking a larger slice out of the quick-serve pie with fresh food offerings. It’s become such a lucrative business for C-stores that Sheetz, the Pennsylvania-based C-store chain that this week opened its 500th location, is planning stores designed more as fast...

Kevin Kester’s family has been farming in the U.S. for generations. And it’s not just a couple of generations they’ve been farming; more like generations upon generations, way back to the 1600s, specifically in California since the 1860s. Today, Kester owns a 22,000-acre beef cattle ranch in...

Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...

When fast-casual chain Zoës Kitchen Inc. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last April, the Plano, Texas–based Mediterranean-style eatery recorded its initial public offering at $87.5 million. Satisfying an investor appetite for investments within the trendy fast-casual space, Zoës’ strong...